title: The anatomical and clinical details of the pterygoid canal: a three-dimensional reconstructive virtual anatomic evaluation based on CT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To delineate the pterygoid canal (PC) configuration and its position in relation to surrounding important anatomical landmarks using three-dimensional reconstructive technology based on CT for the Chinese.
  
  
  METHODS
  The computerized tomography arteriography (CTA) data of 137 patients were retrospectively evaluated using neuroimaging three-dimensional reconstructive software. The morphological parameters of the PC as well as the spatial relationship and distance between the PC relative to internal carotid artery (ICA) and the foramen rotundum were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  83.9% of the PC can be identified by our neuroimaging three-dimensional reconstructive software. The mean distance from the PC to the ICA was 2.6 ± 1.2 mm. The mean distance between medial aspects of bilateral ICA was 19.6 ± 2.7 mm. The distal vertical and horizontal distances between the PC and foramen rotundum were 5.2 ± 3.2 and 6.1 ± 2.8 mm, respectively. All the proximal end of the PC were inferior-lateral to the ICA. The PC mainly (92.9%) ran posteriorly with a medial to lateral direction. The distance from the PC to ICA was positively correlated with the distance between bilateral ICA and the distal diameter of the PC. The vertical distance between the PC and foramen rotundum was positively correlated with the length of the PC and the horizontal distance between the PC and foramen rotundum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the configuration and spatial relationship of the PC may be helpful to improve the accuracy and safety of operation during the expanded transnasal endoscopic approaches to skull base. The three-dimensional reconstructive virtual anatomic technology may be a useful tool to delineate the PC configuration and its position to surrounding important anatomical landmarks.
authors.affiliation: The National Key Clinic Specialty, Department of Neurosurgery, The Neurosurgery Institute of Guangdong Province, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
authors.forename: Zhenghao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Yizhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wangming
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shizhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yiquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002681:China; D019560:Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056739:Pterygopalatine Fossa / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013100:Sphenoid Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult